Mountain rocket facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mountain rocket |
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| Above: habit Below: detail of inflorescences |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Bellendena
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| Species: |
montana
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Bellendena montana, also known as mountain rocket, is a special type of small shrub. It has many stems and belongs to the Proteaceae plant family. This plant is found only in the high mountains of Tasmania, Australia. You can spot its pretty white flower spikes during summer. Later, in late summer and autumn, it grows small, bright red or yellow fruits.
This unique plant was first described by Robert Brown in 1810. It's the only plant in its group, called the genus Bellendena. It's also the only plant in its even bigger group, the subfamily Bellendenoideae. Scientists think it's a very old branch on the plant family tree, showing how the Proteaceae family first started.
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Naming the Mountain Rocket
The Scottish botanist Robert Brown gave the mountain rocket its scientific name, Bellendena montana, in 1810. He named the genus Bellendena to honor John Bellenden Ker Gawler, who was also a botanist.
The second part of its name, montana, is a Latin word. It means "from the mountains," which makes sense because this plant loves to grow in mountain areas. Its common name, "mountain rocket," comes from its red-tipped flowers that look a bit like rockets!
Scientists believe Bellendena montana is a very early relative of other plants in the Proteaceae family. It's like a unique, ancient branch on the family tree. This makes it very interesting for studying how plant families have grown and changed over time.
What Does Bellendena montana Look Like?
The Bellendena montana is a low, spreading shrub with many stems. It can grow to be anywhere from 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) to 1.8 meters (about 6 feet) tall. It can also spread out to about 1 meter (3 feet) wide.
Its leaves are thick and can look different from one plant to another. They are usually between 1 and 6 centimeters long and 0.2 to 2.2 centimeters wide. Plants found in north-eastern Tasmania tend to have narrower leaves. Also, plants that grow higher up in the mountains often have smaller leaves that are packed closer together.
The flowers grow in spikes at the ends of short stems, rising above the leaves. These white flowers are quite noticeable. After the flowers, the plant produces small, egg-shaped fruits. These fruits are either bright red or yellow and are ready to be seen in late summer and autumn.
Where Does the Mountain Rocket Live?
Bellendena montana mostly lives in high places, usually above 1000 meters (about 3500 feet) in altitude. Sometimes, you might find it a bit lower, around 400 meters.
It prefers to grow in soils that don't have a lot of nutrients. These soils are often found on rocky areas, like those made from dolerite rock. It also likes places where the water drains well. You can also find it in boggy areas or in open, shrubby land high in the mountains.
Growing Bellendena montana
Even though Bellendena montana has beautiful flowers, fruits, and leaves, it's not often grown in gardens. This is because it's quite tricky to grow it in places that are not high up in the mountains. Trying to grow it from seeds or cuttings is also not very reliable.
